Liquid lift



c. A. NEELY 2,390,265

LIQUID LIFT Filed Sept. 4, 1944 INVENTOR.

BY Char/es 14. lVeey' Patented Dec. 4, 1945 LIQUID LIFT Charles A. Neely, Seattle, Wash, assignor of forty per cent to Hugh J. Sweeney, Seattle, Wash.; Sarah L. Langleyadministratrix of said Charles A. Neely, deceased Applicationseptember 4, 1944, Serial No. 552,674

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a liquid lift and objects of this invention are to provide a liquid lift that is simple in construction, highly efiicient in operation, capable of satisfactorily handling liquid that contains a large amount of solid matter and that is especially well adapted for the lifting of water .in drainage and irrigation work.

Other objects are to provide a'liquid lift having multiple piece liquid elevating flights or vanes of novel construction that are hinged together and are connected with .anendless link belt and. that are movable upwardly .througha tubular conduit to elevate the liquid through the conduit...

Another object is to providea liquid lift of this type that is well adapted for commercial use in elevating liquids of various consistencies or Viscosities and in elevating liquids that carry substantial percentages of solid matter.

Another object is to provide a liquid lift of this type having two part disc shaped flights or vanes carried by an endless link belt and operable on sprocket wheels that are peripherally notched to provide clearance for portions of the flights or vanes as they pass around the sprocket wheels.

Otherobjects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Figure 1 is anupright sectional view through a liquid lift constructed in accordance with this invention parts being shown in elevation and parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation the upper end portion of this liquid lift.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached view in elevation of one of the liquid lift flights or vanes.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of said flight or vane showing the same in a folded position.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

This liquid lift comprises a cylindrical liquid tube or conduit l preferably formed of a plurality of sections joined together by flange means .I I. This forms a structure in which tube sections may be inserted or removed to. provide a liquid tube of any desired length depending on the distance the liquid has to be elevated.

The lower end portion of the tubular conduit [0 is provided With frame means l2 of ample strength to support a cross shaft 13. A peripherally notched sprocket wheel I4 is supported on the cross shaft l3. Also a support l of suitable shape is connected, preferably by pivot means 16,

with the frame means l2. The support 15 is adapted to rest on the bottom and against the side of a ditch, stream bed, reservoir, sump or the like from which Water is being taken.

The upper end portion of the tubular conduit H1 is provided with frame means IT. The frame means I! has leg members [8 adapted to rest 'on the ground or bank .of the body of waterin which the lift is being used. The frame members 16 support a cross shaft IS on which a sprocket wheel 2!) is secured. The frame means l'! in cooperation with the leg members l8 also carries a platform 2| which supports driving means for the lift. The driving means may comprise 'an electric motor 22 connected with a suitable speed reduction gear in a housing 23. r

The transmission 23 is connected by a link belt 24 with a sprocket wheel 25 on the shaft 19 so as to drive the shaft 19 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1-- and 2'. Preferably the transmission in housing 23 will be of the variable speed type. Thesha'ft i9 is journaled in bearing members 26 that are guided and supported in slots 21- in the frame IT. The bearing members 26 are adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the slots 21 by screw means 28 to vary the tension of an endless traveling link belt 29 that is operatively disposed on the sprocket wheels I14 and25.

The link belt 29 carries a plurality of folding disc shaped flights or vanes each made up of two parts 39 and 31. The parts 30 and 3| are both circular segments having straight adjoining edges and the parts 38 are smaller than the parts 3!.

The smaller parts 30 of the flights or vanes have perforated lugs '32 rigidly connected therewith and extending in opposite directions therefrom. These lugs 32 may be formed by taking pieces of links similar to those used in the link belt 29 and welding them to the parts 30 as shown in Fig. 4, or they may be formed in other ways by welding the link belt 29 to said part 39. When the lugs 32 are used the lugs on each part 30 are positioned in alignment on opposite sides of said part 30 and extend .in opposite directions therefrom. Also the distance betweenv centers of the holes in said lugs is equal to the distance between pivot centers of the links of link belt. 29 so that each pair of lu s 32 will form a link of proper length in the link belt.

The smaller segments 30 of theflights or vanes are thus fixedly connected with the link belt 29 and will always extend substantially at right angles, to said link belt and inwardly as respects said endless link belt- .The sprocket wheels H and 25 have peripheral notches 33 provided therein to afford clearance for said smaller segments 30 as they pass around said sprocket wheels.

The larger vane segments 3| are connected by hinges 34 with the smaller segments 36. Each larger vane segment 3| is also provided with a flexible stop chain or cable 35. Each cable 35' belt 29 in their downward travel and to open out when they dip into the liquid as they pass around the lower sprocket wheel M.

The disc shaped flights or vanes are each provided with a packing ring 36 of resilient material,

such as rubber, that rests against one side of the segments 3|] and 3| and extends a short distance beyond the peripheral portions of these segments. This packing ring 36 is adapted to contact the walls of the tube l and prevent undue leakage of liquid past each vane as said vanes pass upwardly in the tube ll]. 7

Each packing ring 36 is held in place by, preferably two, keeper members 31 and 38. The keeper member 31 is secured to the smaller segment 3|] and the keeper member 38 is securedto the larger segment 3|. The end portions of the respective keeper members 31 and 38 terminate short of the edges of the segments 30 and 3| so as to leave spaces 39 where the packing ring 36 is unrestrained and at the location where said packing ring must bend when the relative angular positions of the segments 30 and 3| are changed. Leaving relatively long spaces 39 allows for long easy bends instead of short sharp bends of the packing ring 36 and thus minimizes the tendency to break the packing ring at this location. The liquid pressure is always exerted against the side of the flights or vanes on which the packing-ring 36 and keepers 31 and 38 are positioned. Thus the packing ring 36 will always be supported' against the segments 30 and 3| when under pressure.

Preferably the diameter of the segments 30 and 3| is only slightly less than the internal diameter of the tube l0 and the packing ring 36 only overhangs the segments 3|] and 3| a slight amount which is just enough to make the packing ring contact the walls of the tube In. This small overhang of the packing ring is the only part thereof that is unsupported. The peripheral portions of the keepers 31 and 38 may be offset inwardly relative to the peripheral portions of the segments 30 and 3|.

In the operation of this liquid lift when the same is used for elevating water the device is preferably installed in the manner shown in Fig. 1. When thus installed the lower end portion of the lift is submerged in a body of water such as a sump, ditch, river, lake, canal or reservoir. The upper end portion of the lift is supported on or above the bank of the said body of water and at an elevation at which it is desired to deliver water. The link belt 29 is driven in the proper direction to move the flights or vanes upwardly through the tube l0 thus moving the water upwardly along the tube In and dischargingit from the upper end thereof.

This liquid lift is particularly well adapted for use in liquid which carries a large proportion of solids and said lift will operate efliciently and without excessive wear in dirty water that carries mud, sand, small particles of vegetable matter and the like. For this reason this liquid lift is particularly well adapted for drainage and irrigation work.

If the liquid that is to be elevated contains large pieces of solid matter, that might damage the flights or vanes of the lift then the entire lower or intake end portion of the lift may be enclosed in a suitable guard or screen as of wire mesh.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawing clearly disclose what I now regard as a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a liquid lift, an upwardly extending tube; an endless link belt having a portion thereof movable continuously in an upward direction through said tube; and a plurality of spaced apart two piece folding flights on said link belt movable upwardly through said tube and supported at substantially right angles to the axis of said tube while in the tube and having substantially liquid tight contact with the walls of said tube.

2. In a liquid lift, an upwardly extending inclined tube; two sprocket wheels positioned near the respective end portions of said tube; an endless link belt operatively disposed on said sprocket wheels and having a portion thereof movable continuously in a generally upward direction through said tube; a plurality of spaced apart two'piece folding flights carried by said link belt and movable upwardly through said tube and supported at substantially right angles to the axis of said tube while in said tube; and resilient sealing means on the marginal portions of said two piece folding flights adapted to make substantially liquid tight contact with said tube.

3. In a liquid lift, an upwardly extending inclined cylindrical tube; two sprocket wheels positioned near the respective end portions'of said cylindrical tube; driving means connected with one of said sprocket wheels; an endless link belt carried by said sprocket wheels and havin one portion thereof movable continuously in a generally upward direction through said cylindrical tube; a plurality of spaced apart two piece folding disc shaped flight carried by said link belt and movable upwardly through said cylindrical tube and supported at substantially right angles to the axis of said cylindrical tube while in said tube; and a resilient sealing rlngon the peripheral portion of each of said two piece flights proVid-- ing substantially liquid tight contact with the inner circumferential walls of said tube and free to bend when the two parts of the flight are angularly moved relative to each other.

4. In a liquid lift, an upwardly extending in clined tube; tw-o sprocket wheels positioned near the respective end portions of said tube; driving means connected with one of said sprocket wheels; relatively deep peripheral notches in said sprocket wheels; a plurality of spaced apart multiple part flights each having a non-pivoted part positioned substantially perpendicular to said link belt and fixedly connected with said link belt at points inwardly from the marginal portions of said flights and a pivoted part hinged to said fixed part, said flights being movable with said link belt through said tube and around said sprocket wheels and said notches in said sprocket wheels providing clearance for the non-pivoted parts of said flights; and resilient sealing means on the marginal portions of said flights providing substantially liquid tight contact with the inner walls of said tube.

5. In a liquid lift, a tube; an endless link belt extending through said tube; inwardly extendin vane sections fixedly secured to said link belt perpendicularly thereof at spaced apart intervals; sprocket wheels carrying said endless link belt; Peripheral recesses in said sprocket wheels providing clearance for said fixed vane sections to pass around said sprocket wheels; outwardly extending folding vane sections hinged to said fixed vane sections; flexible connectors connecting said folding vane sections to said link belt; and means driving said link belt to move said vane sections through said tube.

6. In a liquid lift, a tube an endless link belt extending through said tube; inwardly extending vane sections fixedly secured to said link belt perpendicularly thereof at spaced apart intervals; sprocket wheels carrying said endless link belt; perpheral recesses in said sprocket wheels providing pockets for clearance of said fixed vane sections as they pass around said sprocket wheels; an outwardly extending folding vane section hinged to each fixed vane section and cooperating with the fixed vane section to form a two part vane; a packing ring extending around the circumferential portion of each two part vane; flexible connector means connecting each folding vane section to said link belt; and means driving said link belt to move said two part vanes through said tube.

7. In a liquid lift, a tube; an endless link belt extending through said tube; inwardly extending vane sections fixedly secured to said link belt perpendicularly thereof at spaced apart intervals; sprocket wheels carrying said endless link'belt; peripheral recesses in said sprocket wheels providing pockets for clearance of said fixed vane sections as they pass around said sprocket wheels; an outwardly extending folding vane section hinged to each fixed vane section and cooperating with the fixed vane .section to form a two part vane; a relatively fiat packing ring positioned with one side thereof resting against said two part vane and its peripheral portion slightly overhanging the periphery of said two part vane; keeper means for said packing ring supporting the major portion of said packing ring but leaving portions of the same unsupported at the locations where the vane sections J'oin thereby providing for long and easy bends of said packing ring when relative angular movement of said vane sections occurs; flexible connectors connecting each folding vane section to said link belt; and means driving said link belt to move said two part vanes through said tube.

CHARLES A. NEELY. 

